Black Orchid Parts twenty-one to twenty-six
by andarielle
Summary: Johanna goes home . . . eventually. rated r for violence and language


PART TWENTY-ONE  
SHE AWOKE TO THE UNMISTAKEABLE BEAUTY OF THE SUNRISE , AS THE  
SUN ROSE OVER THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS. SHE HAD THE PERFECT VIEW  
FROM HER BENCH, AND MARVELLED IN AWE AT THE ONE THING SHE  
MISSED MOST WHEN SHE HAD BEEN LIVING IN NEW YORK. SUDDENLY  
REMEMBERING THE COLD, SHE ROSE AND STARTED UP HER BELOVED  
HARLEY. SHE WAITED A FEW MOMENTS BEFORE MOUNTING IT, THE  
HUNGER PAINS SETTING IN, SHE HADN'T HAD ANYTHING TO EAT SINCE  
THE FERRY, SO SHE STOPPED FOR BREAKFAST AT MCDONALDS, AS MUCH  
AS SHE HATED THE FOOD.((DAMN THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE THE FIRST  
PLACE I SAW WOULDN'T IT.)) AFTER STOPPING FOR FOOD, SHE VOWED  
THAT SHE WOULD MAKE NO MORE STOPS UNTIL SHE GOT HOME, BUT WHEN  
SHE SAW THE BAR, SHE HAD TO STOP AND GET A DRINK. . . TO WARM  
HERSELF UP OF COURSE.  
  
VICTOR CREED LOOKED UP FROM HIS DRINK, HE NOTICED A YOUNG  
WOMAN WALK INTO THE BAR, HIS FIRST THOUGHTS WERE THAT SHE WAS  
CRAZY TO HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE WITHOUT A JACKET. UPON CLOSER  
INSPECTION, HE REALISED THAT SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL, HER BRIGHT RED  
HAIR ACCENTUATED HER LARGE BLUE HAZEL EYES PERFECTLY, HER LIPS  
WERE PAINTED A DEEP MAROON COLOUR, THAT LOOKED ALMOST LIKE RED  
VELVET. SHE WORE TIGHT BLACK LEATHER PANTS AND A LOW CUT  
SHIRT. HER HAIR WAS TOUSLED AND SHE LOOKED LIKE SHE HAD BEEN  
CAUGHT IN A TORNADO, THIS ONLY ADDED TO HER BEAUTY. AS SHE SAT  
DOWN AT THE BAR, THE MEN FLOCKED AROUND HER LIKE SHE WAS A TEN  
GALLON KEG OF BEER, THEIR TONGUES HANGING OUT AND DROOL  
BEGINNING TO DRIP TO THE FLOOR IN QUIET DROPLETS. HE HEARD  
NUMEROUS DRINK OFFERS AMONG OFFERS OF MARRIAGE. SHE ACCEPTED  
THE DRINKS, HE WATCHED AS SHE ORDERED A BOTTLE OF WHISKEY,  
THREE CANS OF BEER AND A MICKEY OF VODKA. ONE OF THE MEN TRIED  
TO TAKE SOME OF THE WHISKEY AND SHE SLAPPED HIS HAND AWAY.-  
YOU SAID YOU'D BUY ME A DRINK, IF YOU WANT SOME , ORDER YOUR  
OWN.-SHE SAID IN A CALM TONE, ONLY SLIGHTLY ANNOYED. - LISTEN  
BITCH, I PAID FOR THAT AND I'LL DRINK AS MUCH OF IT AS I WANT!  
NOW BE A GOOD GIRL, AND SHUT YOUR MOUTH!- BEFORE HE COULD TAKE  
ANY, SHE GRABBED THE BOTTLE, WHICH WAS STILL MORE THAN HALF  
FULL, AND DRANK ALL OF THE CONTENTS IN RECORD TIME, NOT EVEN  
HAVING TAKEN A BREATH. WHEN SHE WAS FINISHED, SHE PLACED THE  
BOTTLE ON THE BAR, AND GRABBED THE UNOPENED BEER CANS AND  
VODKA. - HERE YA GO, ENJOY.- SHE SAID AS SHE TURNED TO WALK  
AWAY, HE GRABBED HER ARM AND HELD HER, TIGHTLY. SHE DIDN'T  
FLINCH, ACTUALLY SHE DIDN'T LOOK LIKE IT HURT AT ALL.- YOU'RE  
NOT GETTING AWAY THAT EASILY.- HE SAID AND TRIED TO PULL HER  
INTO A DRUNKEN KISS. SHE PUSHED HIM AWAY AS FAR AS SHE COULD  
WITHOUT HURTING HIM.-IF YOU DON'T MIND LETTING GO OF ME, I  
HAVE TO BE SOMEWHERE IN 20 MINUTES.- SHE SAID, THE ANNOYANCE  
GROWING IN HER VOICE, SHE DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THIS RIGHT  
NOW.- YA IN MY BED.- HE SAID, TIGHTENING HIS GRIP ON HER ARM  
SO TIGHT THAT HIS FINGERS WERE LEAVING BRUISES.SHE TURNED,  
ALMOST TO LEAVE, BUT EVERYONE THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS TRYING TO  
HIDE HER PAIN, EVERYONE, THAT IS, EXCEPT FOR THE ONE MAN WHO  
SAT AT HIS TABLE. HE HAD SEEN HER SMILE AND THE DEMONIC LOOK  
IN HER EYES.HAVING GAINED ENOUGH MOMENTUM, SHE SWUNG BACK AND  
DIRECTED THE PALM OF HER HAND TOWARDS HIS CHEST, WITH ENOUGH  
FORCE TO SEND HIM FLYING INTO THE WALL BEHIND HIM. THE FORCE  
OF HIS HEAD HITTING THE SOLID BRICK KNOCKED HIM UNCONSCIOUS,  
BUT ONLY FOR A MOMENT. HE OPENED HIS EYES TO SEE A FIST FLYING  
AT HIS NOSE.HE WAS TO STUNNED TO MOVE AND PASSED OUT AS THE  
FIST MADE CONTACT, CRUSHING THE BONES IN HIS NOSE, TO A FINE  
POWDER. THE BLOOD SPURTED ON TO THE WOMAN'S HAND AND A FEW  
DROPS FLEW TO HER FACE. DISGUSTED, SHE TURNED AND HEADED TO  
THE BATHROOM TO FRESHEN UP.  
  
AS SHE WALKED BY HIS TABLE, SHE SMELLED A SCENT THAT SHE  
RECOGNISED IMMEDIATELY AS THAT BELONGING TO A PERSON  
ASSOCIATED WITH HER EVERY FEAR AND PAIN. SHE GLANCED BACK AT  
HIM AND HER FACE WENT PALE WITH FRIGHT, HER EYES WIDENED AS HE  
MET HER GAZE. HE COULD SEE THE FEAR ON HER FACE AND SHE TURNED  
TO RUN OUT OF THE BAR, FORGETTING THE BLOOD THAT STAINED HER  
IT.  
  
  
PART TWENTY-TWO  
  
SHE DROVE UP TO THE SMALL, SECLUDED, TWO STORY HOUSE. IT MUST  
HAVE BEEN NEAR MIDNIGHT, AS IT WAS DARK AND COLD. THERE WERE  
NO LIGHTS ON IN THE HOUSE, BUT SHE KNEW HER FRIEND WAS HOME,  
SHE HAD TO BE. JOHANNA UNLOCKED THE DOOR AND STEPPED INSIDE,  
THE HOUSE WAS PITCH BLACK, BUT SHE KNEW ANDREA WAS SITING IN  
THE ARMCHAIR NEAR THE KITCHEN.  
-JOHANNA, YOU'RE HOME!!- SHE HEARD ANDREA SQUEAL. ANDREA LIT  
SOME CANDLES AND JOHANNA COULD SHE THAT SHE HAD DIED HER HAIR  
IN THE TWO MONTHS THAT SHE HAD BEEN GONE.HER HAIR WAS NOW KNEE  
LENGTH, HAVING BEEN ONLY TO HER BOTTOM WHEN JOHANNA HAD LEFT,  
IT WAS A DEEP SHADE OF GRAY, MAKING HER LOOK MUCH OLDER THAN  
HER TWENTY-THREE YEARS OF AGE. SHE HAD LOST WEIGHT NOW BEING A  
MERE HUNDRED AND TWENTY POUNDS. SHE WORE ALL BLACK, ONLY  
ACCENTUATING HER HEIGHT OF 6'2.  
- HAVE YOU BEEN EATING ENOUGH, ANDY?-JOHANNA ASKED  
SUSPICIOUSLY, SOUNDING ALMOST MOTHERLY.  
-NOT REALLY, GOT FIRED, NO CASH, NO ELECTRICITY OR HEAT.-  
SHE SAID SOUNDING VERY TIRED.  
- OK THAT WOULD EXPLAIN WHY IT'S DARK AND COLD.I'M FUCKING  
FREEZING!-JOHANNA EXCLAIMED.- SO WHERE YA BEEN HANNA?- ANDREA  
ASKED, A LITTLE ANGRY THAT SHE HADN'T HEARD FROM HER FRIEND IN  
SO LONG.- I'VE BEEN IN NEW YORK, SORRY I DIDN'T CALL, BUT I  
WAS KINDA SHIT KICKED BY STUPID ANTI-MUTANT PEOPLE, THEY KINDA  
KILLED ME, AND I'VE GOT THE SCARS TO PROVE IT.THEN THE FUCKING  
X-MEN THOUGHT I WAS DEAD AND TOOK ME IN. THEY WERE REALLY  
SCARED WHEN I WOKE UP. I PUT THAT ASSHOLE SCOTT IN A COMA,  
THOUGH, THAT WAS COOL. THEN I BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF LOGAN, THAT  
WAS FUN TOO. BY THE WAY REMY IS WAY HOTTER IN PERSON, BUT YOU  
KNEW THAT DIDN'T YOU?.-JOHANNA SAID AMAZINGLY ALL IN ONE  
BREATH.- YOU GOT KILLED!- ANDREA SCREAMED, AND PROBED  
JOHANNA'S MIND.-WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU FIGHT BACK! YOU  
IDIOT!- SHE WAS PISSED.- WELL THEY STABBED ME I COUL. . . -  
SHE FROZE. - OH SHIT!!-SHE SAID OBVIOUSLY AFRAID. ANDREA WAS  
INSTANTLY READY FOR ANYTHING, IF SOMETHING FRIGHTENED HER  
FRIEND, IT HAD TO BE BAD.  
- WHAT IS IT HANNA?- SHE SAID, VOICE BARELY A WHISPER.  
- AN OLD FRIEND.- JOHANNA SAID, LETTING HER NEW FOUND CLAWS  
SPRING FORTH FROM HER FINGERTIPS. THE DOOR CRASHED AGAINST THE  
FAR WALL, AS IF IT HAD BEEN THROWN WITH IMMENSE FORCE. A HUGE  
ANIMAL LIKE CREATURE STOOD MENACINGLY IN THE DOORWAY. HE WAS  
AT LEAST SIX AND A HALF FEET TALL AND COVERED IN YELLOW AND  
BLACK STRIPED SPANDEX. HIS FACE WAS A MASS OF BLOND FUR AND  
HIS EYES LOOKED YELLOW. BEHIND HIM THERE WERE TWO OTHERS, A  
MAN DRESSED IN FULL PURPLE AND RED BODY ARMOUR WITH A LONG  
CAPE FLOWING BEHIND HIM. HE WORE A HELMET THAT MATCHED HIS  
UNIFORM, AND THIN WISPS OF HAIR COULD BARELY BE SEEN FALLING  
IN FRONT OF HIS MENACING SILVER EYES. HIS WRINKLES MADE HIM  
LOOK INCREDIBLY AGED, ONE WOULD THINK IT AMAZING THAT SOMEONE  
HIS APPARENT AGE WAS NOT FRAIL AND BRITTLE, INSTEAD HE STOOD  
STRONG, SHOWING THAT HE WAS NOT A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.  
BESIDE HIM WAS A WOMAN, SHE WAS INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL, WITH  
GORGEOUS RED ORANGE HAIR AND YELLOW EYES. TO CONTRADICT THE  
COLOUR OF HER HAIR AND EYES, HER SKIN WAS BLUE. IT REMINDED  
JOHANNA OF THE COLOUR OF DR MCCOY'S FUR.   
  
PART TWENTY-THREE   
SCOTT AND JEAN RAN DOWN THE HALLS OF THE MANSION, DISTURBED  
FROM THEIR SLEEP BY THE BEEPING OF THE MANSIONS MAIN COMPUTER,  
CEREBRO. THEY KNEW THAT THE BEEPING MIGHT STOP AT ANY MOMENT,  
LEAVING WHATEVER IT HAD FOUND, LOST FOREVER. THEY ENTERED THE  
CONTROL ROOM, TO FIND THE OTHER X-MEN, INCLUDING PROFESSOR  
XAVIER AND FORGE, STANDING AROUND THE SCREEN BEWILDERED AT  
WHAT THEY SAW. BEFORE SCOTT AND JEAN COULD SAY ANYTHING, THE  
PROFESSOR TURNED AND LOOKED AT THEM.- THERE IS A BATTLE GOING  
ON RIGHT NOW, A MUTANT OF IMMENSE POWER IS INVOLVED,AS WELL AS  
THE BROTHERHOOD, WE MUST GO THERE IMMEDIATELY.- HE SAID AND  
LEFT THE ROOM, ON HIS WAY TO THE BLACKBIRD. SCOTT TURNED TO  
EXIT THE ROOM AS WELL, BUT WAS STOPPED BY FORGE.-SCOTT, THAT'S  
RIGHT NEAR WHERE I LEFT JOHANNA.-HE SAID SOUNDING VERY  
CONCERNED. - I DOUBT SHE WOULD BE INVOLVED IN SOMETHING LIKE  
THIS FORGE, BUT JUST IN CASE, I'M TURNING MY OPTIC BLAST TO  
HIGH. - HE SAID WITH A GLARE AND LEFT THE ROOM.  
- WHAT'S WITH HIM?- FORGE ASKED , TO NO ONE IN PARTICULAR, HE  
GOT AN ANSWER ANYWAY.  
-THE KID PUT IM IN A COMA.- LOGAN REPLIED WITH A CHUCKLE AND  
FOLLOWED THE REST OF THE TEAM OUT OF THE ROOM.  
  
  
PART TWENTY-FOUR  
THE MAN SHE KNEW AS SABERTOOTH, LUNGED AT HER, HIS SHARP  
CLAWS AIMED TOWARDS HER STOMACH, SHE QUICKLY TURNED AWAY, ONLY  
TO BE TRAPPED WITH A MAGNETIC HOLD UPON HER ADAMANTIUM  
SKELETON. SABERTOOTH WALKED OVER TO WHERE SHE STOOD FROZEN AND  
SAID TO HER TERRIFIED FACE.-SO YOU DO REMEMBER ME, GOOD, I  
KINDA MISSED YOUR SCREAMIN.- SHE SPAT IN HIS FACE.- THAT WAS  
NOT NICE, LITTLE GIRL, TIME TO PLAY.- HE VIOLENTLY GRIPPED HER  
BY THE THROAT AND AFTER MAGNETO RELEASED HIS HOLD ON HER,  
SABERTOOTH THREW HER INTO A NEARBY WALL. HE WALKED TOWARDS HER  
AND THE PREVIOUSLY UNNOTICED ANDREA, SPRUNG INTO ACTION,  
SENDING SABERTOOTH FLYING OUT THE WINDOW OF THE HOUSE.HE WAS  
INSTANTLY BACK ON HIS FEET AND IN THE HOUSE AGAIN. JOHANNA WAS  
FROZEN AGAIN AND ANDREA WAS BATTLELING MYSTIQUE AND MAGNETO.  
SHE WASN'T DOING BAD EITHER, SHE ACTUALLY WAS WINNING.  
SABRETOOTH, HOWEVER DIDN'T CARE, HE WAS HERE FOR ONE THING AND  
ONE THING ONLY, TO FINISH WHAT HE HAD STARTED TWENTY-THREE  
YEARS AGO. THE MEMORIES OF HOW SHE LOOKED WHEN SHE WAS A BABY  
CAME FLOODING BACK TO HIM, THE WAY SHE COWERED WHEN SHE FIRST  
SAW HIM, THRILLED EVERY PART OF HIS BODY. HE RAN TO HER STILL  
FORM AND SLASHED AT HER STOMACH AND NECK.- SCREAM!!- HE YELLED  
AT HER.- SCREAM!!!!!- HE DIDN'T STOP UNTIL HE FELT THE SHADOWS  
SEEPING INTO HIS BRAIN SLOWLY SUFFOCATING HIS SENSES AND  
LUNGS. HE FELL TO THE FLOOR GASPING FOR AIR AS THE DARKNESS  
TOOK OVER.WITH HIS REMAINING HEARING, HE HEARD MYSTIQUE AND  
MAGNETO CRASH TO THE FLOOR, OBVIOUSLY FACING THE SAME FATE AS  
HE DID. HE LOOKED PAST HIM AT THE CORPSE OF THE YOUNG WOMAN HE  
HAD TORMENTED, HER BLOOD HAD ALREADY FORMED A POOL THAT  
STRETCHED OUT TO HIM, ALMOST BEGGING HIM TO DO MORE.-SHE  
DIDN'T SCREAM.- HE SAID, SOUNDING DISAPPOINTED. THEN ALL WAS  
BLACK.  
  
PART TWENTY-FIVE   
THE BLACKBIRD TOUCHED DOWN RIGHT BESIDE THE LITTLE HOUSE, IT'S  
PASSENGERS RAN INTO THE SEEMING EMPTY HOUSE, ONLY TO FIND THE  
UNCONSCIOUS FORMS OF SABRETOOTH, MAGNETO AND MYSTIQUE, LAYING  
ON THE FLOOR OF THE LIVING ROOM. THE SNOW FLEW IN FROM THE  
FRONT WINDOW, WHICH HAD BEEN RECENTLY SMASHED.THE ONLY LIGHT  
IN THE HOUSE WAS THAT OF A LAMP POST OUTSIDE, IT'S LIGHT WAS  
EERIE THOUGH AND NOT VERY PLEASANT.-UPSTAIRS.- SAID JEAN AS  
SHE RAN UP THE STAIRS, FOLLOWED BY SCOTT AND THE REST OF THE  
TEAM.-SHE'S HERE- LOGAN SAID ABOVE THE SOUND OF FEET RUSHING  
UP THE STAIRS.THEY STOPPED AND TURNED TO LOOK AT HIM.-THE KID,  
JOHANNA.-LOGAN EXPLAINED. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A HORRIFIED  
LOOK FROM SCOTT. THE PROFESSOR WAS IN THE BLACKBIRD, BUT THEY  
ALL KNEW THAT HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN THAT REACTION AS WELL.WHEN  
THEY GOT TO THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, JEAN INSTINCTIVELY WENT TO  
THE ROOM AT THE END OF THE HALL, OPENING IT TO FIND A WOMAN  
STANDING OVER JOHANNA, THEY WERE SURROUNDED BY A SHIELD OF  
FIRE.THE SAME FIRE FLOWED FROM THE WOMAN'S HANDS INTO  
JOHANNA'S BODY. THE SURGE OF THE FLAMES MADE HER BODY SPASM,  
IT WAS OBVIOUSLY CAUSING HER, INCREDIBLE PAIN, AS HER BODY  
ROSE UP AND DOWN IN FITS OF SPASMS.THE PAIN WAS WRITTEN ON HER  
FACE AND EVEN SHE DIDN'T DESERVE THIS. WITHOUT THINKING, SCOTT  
OPENED FIRE ON THE FORM ABOVE HER.MADLY, SHE RETURNED THE  
FAVOUR, THROWING HIM AGAINST THE WALL WITH A FORCE OF RAW  
PSYCHIC POWER.THE LOOK IN HER EYES, REMINDED HIM OF SOMEONE HE  
HAD FOUGHT ALMOST A YEAR AGO, SHE HAD BEEN IN ALPHA FLIGHT AND  
HER CODE NAME WAS ESEL AND. . .((OH SHIT!)) HE GOT UP AND  
SCREAMED AT HIS FELLOW X-MAN, ALL OF WHICH HAD BEGUN THEIR  
ATTACK, TO STOP. THEY DID, AND TURNED TO HIM IN UTTER  
CONFUSION, -THAT'S HER FRIEND, SHE'S HEALING HER.- HE SAID AND  
JOHANNA ROSE FROM THE FLOOR, THEY DIDN'T NOTICE.- NO SHIT!-  
SHE SAID AND THEY ALL TURNED TOWARDS HER IN SILENCE.SHE GLARED  
AT SCOTT.-WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE!?!- SHE  
SCREAMED, HER FRIEND, ANDREA STOOD SILENT. -WE CAME TO HELP.-  
FORGE SAID. JOHANNA SOFTENED HER GAZE AND LOOKED AT FORGE, THE  
ONLY MEMBER OF THE X-MEN WHO HAD GONE OUT OF THEIR WAY TO DO  
SOMETHING NICE FOR HER, NEXT TO GAMBIT AND BEAST OF COURSE.-SO  
CEREBRO READ THAT THERE WAS AN INCREDIBLY POWERFUL MUTANT  
HERE, AND YOU DECIDED TO SEE IF YOU COULD GET HER ON YOUR  
TEAM, AM I RIGHT?- JOHANNA, SAID NOW SEVERELY PISSED OFF.-  
WELL YES, BUT HOW ON EARTH DID YOU KNOW?- BEAST SAID.-I MIGHT  
KNOW MORE ABOUT YOU THAN YOU DO.- SHE SAID, LOOKING AT LOGAN.  
THIS WAS WHEN HER FRIEND CHOSE TO SPEAK.- WE BOTH DO, NOW  
LEAVE OR I'LL MAKE YOU.-SHE SAID CALMLY, SCOTT STEPPED FORWARD  
CHALLENGINGLY.- WE KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO ESEL, SO DON'T  
BOTHER.- HE SAID.- DO YOU NOW??-SHE SAID AND TURNED AWAY ,  
SUDDENLY THE FLOOR OPENED UP BENEATH HIS FEET AND HE WAS  
PULLED DOWN INTO THE FIERY ABYSS OF HELL. THE FLOOR CLOSED ,  
BUT YOU COULD STILL HEAR HIS SCREAMS OF PAIN AND ANGUISH.  
TEARS ROLLED DOWN JEANS FACE AND SHE STARTED SCREAMING. THE  
SHRIEKS WERE HARD ON THE EARS, BUT WHEN SHE STARTED SHRIEKING  
MENTALLY, IT WAS EXCRUCIATINGLY PAINFUL FOR ANY PSYCHICS,  
JOHANNA AND ANDREA FELL TO THE FLOOR IN TORMENT. ANDREA ALSO  
STARTED SHRIEKING, BUT JOHANNA CONTROLLED HER PAIN AND STOOD.  
SEEING HOW MUCH PAIN JEAN AND SCOTT BOTH WERE IN, SHE CALLED  
UP THE SHADOWS AND THE FLOOR REOPENED. SCOTT'S BLISTERED BODY  
CAME OUT, AND THE PAIN STOPPED AS SHE STEPPED OVER HIM AND LET  
THE SHADOWS DRAPED OVER HIM AND BEGAN TO HEAL.  
  
PART TWENTY-SIX  
  
SCOTT'S SORE EYES OPENED JUST AS JOHANNA WENT LIMP AND FELL TO  
THE FLOOR WITH A LOUD THUD. HE SHIVERED, THE MOVEMENT MADE  
JEAN LOOK DOWN FROM HER CRADELLING POSITION, AT HIS WEARY  
FACE. SHE COULD SENSE HIS FEAR THROUGH THEIR LINK AND SHARED  
IT, SHE HAD FELT EVERYTHING HE WENT THROUGH. SHE WRAPPED HER  
ARMS PROTECTIVELY AROUND HIM, UNSURE OF WHAT TO SAY. LOGAN WAS  
THE ONE WHO BROKE THE SILENCE.- WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?-  
THE FEW NON PSIS IN THE ROOM WERE IN COMPLETE CONFUSION, ONLY  
THOSE WHO HAD FELT HIS PAIN AND HELPLESSNESS KNEW WHERE HE HAD  
BEEN.-I JUST SENT DEAR SCOTTY TO HELL.- ANDREA MANAGED TO SAY  
AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO STAND. AFTER FALLING, RECEIVING NO HELP  
FROM THE X-MEN, SHE FINALLY WAS ABLE TO STAND. WHEN SHE SAW  
HER FRIEND AND REALISED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF HER  
ACTIONS. STARTED TO CRY. AMIDST HER TEARS, SHE MANAGED TO  
SAY.- SORRY.- THAT WORD WOULD FOREVER BE IMPRINTED IN SCOTTS  
MIND, THE MOST HONEST AND SINCERE WORD HE HAD EVER HEARD. SHE  
HAD FELT HIS PAIN AND PAID FOR IT IN GUILT. HER BEST FRIEND  
HAD RISKED HER OWN LIFE TO SAVE A MAN WHO SHE HATED, AND  
ANDREA WAS THE ONE WHO HURT HIM. SCOTT MANAGED TO GET UP, HIS  
ONLY INJURY BEING THAT OF MEMORY, AND STAGGER TOWARDS ANDREA.-  
YOU SENT ME TO HELL.- THERE WAS NO EMOTION IN HIS VOICE.- YOU  
DESERVED IT, YOU HURT HER, SHE'S MY FRIEND.-ANDREA WAS STILL  
IN SO MUCH PAIN THAT SHE COULDN'T FORM COMPLETE SENTENCES.  
-LOOK AT HER NOW, YOU'VE DONE MORE DAMAGE THAN I EVER DID!- HE  
SCREAMED.- YOU HURT HER INSIDE, MUCH WORSE THAN OUTSIDE. NEVER  
DO THAT, I'M HER FRIEND, NOT LIKE YOU. YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT  
HER, AT LEAST NOT UNTIL I CAME.- ANDREA WAS BACK ON TRACK,  
RUNNING PURELY ON RAGE. EVERYONE WAS SILENT, INCLUDING SCOTT,   
WHO WAS HURT AT THE IMPLICATION. ANDREA HAD HIT HOME, SHE WAS  
RIGHT AND SHE KNEW IT.-YOU WOULD NEVER HAVE COME IF THERE  
HADN'T BEEN AN ALPHA CLASS MUTANT INVOLVED, NOT IF YOU KNEW IT  
WAS JOHANNA. YOU HATED HER! NOW YOU COME TO MY HOME AND DECIDE  
TO GET INVOLVED AND CAUSE HER MORE PAIN!- ANDREA SCREAMED, SHE  
WAS HOLDING IN AS MUCH OF HER ANGER AS SHE COULD, BUT HER  
FISTS WERE CLENCHED, AND SHE WAS PREPARED TO FIGHT.- I'M NOT  
THE ONE WHO DID THE DAMAGE. YOU. . . - HIS VOICE BOOMED THE  
ANGER RISING IN HIM ALMOST BEYOND CONTROL.- W-WOULD YOU BOTH  
PLEASE SH-SHUT UP? HEAD, PAIN, SLEEP. HIDE.- JOHANNA'S VOICE  
WAS TINY SHE WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN, JEAN COULD SENSE HER  
AGONY.*SHE MUST HAVE BEEN SHIELDING ME IN THE MEDLAB, BUT   
NOW HER SHIELDS ARE GONE, SHE'S TAKEN HIS PAIN, JEAN.* XAVIER,  
WHO HAD BEEN SILENTLY SITTING IN THE BLACK BIRD SENT TO JEAN.  



End file.
